Posh Jet UK Billionaire Sir Tom Ratcliffe Sent to Pick Up Eliud Kipchoge for the INEOS 1:59 Marathon in Vienna

Posh Jet UK Billionaire Sent to Pick Up Kipchoge

Mumbi Mutuko

October 8, 2019 7:59 AM

Kipchoge making history

Eliud Kipchoge departing for Vienna

British billionaire Sir Tom Ratcliffe sent a Gulfstream G280 to pick up Olympic marathon champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge.

The jet landed at the Eldoret International Airport last night where Kipchoge and his team boarded heading to Vienna.

The jet is valued at $24.5 million (Sh2.45 billion).

Kipchoge is scheduled to attempt to run the marathon in under two hours, with the “INEOS 1:59 Challenge” sponsored by Sir Tom, owner of chemical firm INEOS.

Eliud Kipchoge departing for Vienna Pulse Live Kenya

"On Sunday 6th October the decision was made for Kipchoge to fly from his training camp in Kaptagat, Kenya to Vienna overnight on 7th October, with his coach Patrick Sang and a number of his team-mates, now pacemakers," a statement on the INEOS website read in part.

Date for INEOS 1:59 Marathon

"The call made to fly Kipchoge from Kenya to Vienna was the first stage of a pre-agreed decision process by the INEOS 1:59 Performance team," it continued.

Kipchoge is attempting to make history by running a marathon in less than two hours.

Eliud Kipchoge trainning for the INEOS 1:59 Pulse Live Kenya

Officials said that the date for the marathon has yet to be confirmed but the target date is October 12 if all goes as planned.

Part of the statement read: "The next pivotal date is Wednesday 9th October, three days out from the targeted Challenge date. The Performance team will then decide if the date for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge will either be confirmed as the 12th October or delayed."

Mumbi Mutuko